Last Updated Apr 5, 2018 4:46 PM EDT
Officials at CalTech are holding a press conference — which you can watch in the video player above.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 struck off the coast of Southern California on Thursday, officials at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) say. CBS Los Angeles reports the quake originated near the Channel Islands. It happened around 12:30 p.m. local time about 38 miles southwest of the mainland city of Ventura, according to the USGS.
The quake’s strength was revised upward from initial estimates of magnitude 5.0. It struck about 10.5 miles underground, the USGS says.
“A 5.3 is a good jolt,” officials at CalTech said Thursday at a press conference, and that it was no surprise people in Los Angeles felt the quake. They mentioned that there is a 1 in 20 chance it could trigger something bigger.
“We would expect aftershocks, and there is the potential for some triggered seismicity,” they added.
Earthquake with preliminary magnitude of 5.3 struck off the coast of Southern California.
U.S. Geological Service
An early warning system did alert residents in Los Angeles before the shaking was felt, CalTech confirms.
The Associated Press writes that the Los Angeles Fire Department said it went into “earthquake mode” and firefighters from all 106 of its firehouses began surveys of their territories, including bridges, dams, large buildings and power lines.
“We currently have no reports of damage or injuries,” fire department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said.
Ventura County officials announced they are “in a heightened response posture to assist our citizens” in wake of Thursday’s temblor.
Although there was no significant damage reported, some bricks fell from a chimney at a historic ranch in the Channel Islands region.
Channel Islands National Park spokeswoman Yvonne Menard tells The Associated Press that bricks fells at a ranch building on Santa Cruz Island that dates back to the 1860s. She added that visitors and staff members on the island felt the quake, but nobody was injured.
Most of Santa Cruz, including the ranch area, is owned by The Nature Conservancy, which cooperatively manages the island with the Park Service.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
